SHANNON CAMPER

Shannon Camper has dedicated the past six years to community service through her “Think Pink” program, a breast-cancer awareness campaign. By dedicating more than 100 hours per year and helping raise more than $96,000 for research, Shannon has made real the seriousness of breast cancer to the area’s young men and women.

Because there is a family history of breast cancer in her family, Shannon learned at an early age the importance of monthly self-breast exams. As she spoke with her friends and others in her peer group, Shannon realized that not many young women knew much about breast cancer. At the age of 17, Shannon began developing her “Think Pink” campaign to educate those in her peer group about the impact of breast cancer. In the years since, she has spoken to area high schools and church groups to educate youth about breast cancer awareness and prevention.

Shannon has participated annually in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life program from the time she was 17 years old. Shannon worked with the BMW Ride for a Cure to raise funds for research. She was also named as the youngest spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation in North and Central Alabama.

Shannon last year developed the idea for a C.A.B. (Call-A-Buddy) program, which prompts a woman to call five additional women and remind them about their monthly self-checks and yearly mammograms. Shannon worked with a local graphic artist to design a card that can be made into magnets with places for five names and numbers for this program. She presented her C.A.B. cards at a breast-cancer awareness luncheon hosted at a local bank. Since that time, she has been working with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to introduce this program on a national level.

Shannon has also served in the Oncology Center at the Cullman Regional Medical Center in Cullman, Alabama since the summer of 1999. There she plays a vital role in providing compassionate care to the cancer patients. She also continues to educate ladies of all ages on preventing breast cancer. Shannon has served in excess of 200 hours there specifically assisting cancer survivors and individuals going through treatments. In addition, Shannon speaks to church groups and civic organizations on breast cancer awareness.

By volunteering at local hospitals in cancer treatment centers, speaking to and entertaining local civic organizations and churches, presenting breast-cancer programs to teenage area women, and raising money for breast cancer research and prevention programs, Shannon is bringing the serious issue of breast-cancer to the forefront of her community.